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‘Emergency Food’ Guest Blogger- Diary of a Snacker

Really thrilled to have collaborated with Kristin in the past -here- for some food writing. I asked her to write something for my blog this time around and she happily agreed!

Kristin’s blog, ‘Diary of a Snacker’, is really unique because it tackles subjects from fitness and nutrition to living a busy life and not always having the answers but doing the best with what’s available. She regularly reviews her favorite snacks, fitness products, lends fun recipes and other insightful memoirs and research. She even does frequent giveaways!!

Please, please do me the honor and favor of checking out Kristin’s blog, subscribing, and sharing with friends! -Diary of a Snacker- Enjoy the post!!

Emergency Food

Life happens. You get stuck in traffic and it takes you extra time to get home. You need to squeeze in laundry, soccer practice, and a ton of other chores. You have to work late or take on another shift and haven’t gone grocery shopping in 3 weeks (not like that one happened to me or anything). Fast food always comes to the rescue – pizza, burgers, tacos, Chinese food. No. Not this time. You’re prepared.

It’s helpful to create your own Emergency Kit – complete with a variety of healthy on-the-go foods. I started doing this about a year ago and now I always keep a few items at my desk, one or two in the car, and one in my purse for those “ah shit” moments. Anything to fight the temptation. Below are a few of my favorites.

Crankin’ Cranberry Snack Sticks by Chomps – $1.99 each

These are pretty freakin’ good – like a healthy SlimJim. And, man did I love my SlimJims when I was younger! It’s spicy and the cranberry gives it a nice tart flavor. However, the name “sticks” is a little misleading. Let me clear it up for you – you only get one stick per package. This was a bit disappointing, but hey, you live and learn.

Mint Chocolate Bar by RxBar – $2.49 each

I love RxBars. They can, however, get out of control pretty quickly if you use them to feed your sugar cravings. I save these for dire emergencies, such as when I’ve been on the road for 5 hours and can’t find anything but a Taco Bell and fields of corn and soy in sight. (Have you ever driven from NY to Florida?) Anyway – this one is good. I like the cool feeling of mint in my mouth; it’s very refreshing. And since I’m not a chocolate fiend, I can handle it 😉

Fuji & Reds Apple Chips by Bare – $33 (for a 24-pack – can be found individually in store)

I can’t get enough of these apple chips. They are perfectly crisp and lightly sweet. You won’t find any preservatives or sweeteners in the bag – just apples.

Pitted Kalamata Olives by Gaea – $2.59 each

Olives are a good source of healthy fat, which keeps you fuller longer. I like to add these to my salad or on the side of scrambled eggs, but they are also good to eat straight from the package. This brand sells black and green olives too.

BBQ Hickory Tomato Beef Bar by Wild Zora – $3.39 each

I love Wild Zora bars and recommend them to EVERYONE. They are so soft and yummy – not your typical jerky (you can read my full review here). I was really partial to the Chili Beef, but I have to say that this BBQ Bar is the bee’s knees! It’s small, but filling. I like to eat these with a extra side of veggies like carrot sticks.

Beef with Cranberry & Sriracha Bites by EPIC – $6.99

I tried EPIC Bars and I can’t say I was impressed. Actually, all of them went into the trash and, considering the price, it hurt a bit. But these Bites are good. There’s something about the combination of beef and cranberry that I love, plus the spicy kick. They aren’t as soft as Wild Zora Bars (above) – in fact, they are a bit dry, but they work and can easily hold you over until you can get a real meal.

GoGo Squeeze Fruit & Veggiez Pedal Pedal Peach by Materne – $3.29

These are surprisingly good. Technically they are for kids, but I like them because they are easy to take along and they have veggies hidden in every bite. This one is a sweet mix of peach and sweet potato, but there are 3 other flavors that are just as yummy.

Hint Water – $24 (for a 12-pack variety – cheaper in store)

This is great for anyone who isn’t keen on plain water. This provides a subtle, but still noticeable, hint of natural flavor without any added calories, sugar, or crap. Hint Water comes in 15 flavors including green apple and blood orange.

If you notice that this list sounds pretty yummy – you’re right! I’ve made sure to stock things that are more appealing than a few lonely celery sticks, because when I’m hungry, I get HANGRY and plain water just won’t cut it. When selecting the foods to add to your Emergency Kit, make sure they are healthy options that you actually want to eat. You’ll thank me later.

What are your favorite on-the-go foods?

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–Kristin Phillips is the founder of Diary of a Snacker, a food and fitness blog catered to the newbie. Just before she graduated college she decided to move out of her childhood home. There was only one problem – she didn’t know how to cook. Because it’s not healthy living on a diet of ramen and grilled cheese, she knew she had to learn – and fast! After a lot of practice, trial and error, and too many failures to count, she was able to find out what worked and what (definitely) didn’t. That long journey resulted in the creation of a blog that marries both her love for eating and writing. She lives in Hyde Park, NY and can always be found making a mess in the kitchen!